Another entry for my beer travelogue…

Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 2015 — I was in Colorado Springs for a meeting at The Broadmoor. My meeting ended at noon and my flight home was at 4:00 p.m., so with some time to kill and hungry for lunch, I headed to Phantom Canyon Brewing Company.

I grabbed a stool at the bar and admired the long row of taps pouring house beers and guest drafts.

There were 13 house brews on the menu, and I started with a 4-beer sampler tray of 5-ounce pours to wash down my appetizer of house made pretzel bites served with beer cheese and whole grain beer mustard.

• Streamliner, an American IPA (6.0%, 80 IBU)
• The Eton Rifles, an English IPA (4.9%, 54 IBU)
• Fleur Délicate, a Farmhouse Saison (7.1%)
• 42 Seconds, a Peppercorn Saison (6.1%)

I ordered my second 4-beer sampler tray with my main course — a Colorado Bison Patty Melt with beer braised onions, Swiss cheese, and 1000 Island dressing, served on marble rye. Incredible, especially with a side of Sweet Potato Tots!

• Alpenglow, a Hefeweizen (4.9%)
• Til the Break of Dawn, a spicy Saison (6.4%)
• Box Car, an Amber Ale (5.2%)
• Inside Out, a “Lemondrop Pilsner” brewed with German Lemondrop hops (5.5%)

I was in no hurry, so after my delicious main course I ordered my third 4-beer sampler tray, plus one, to finish my tour of the beer menu.

• Gandy Dancer, a Robust Porter (5.2%)
• Continuum, a Belgian White (5.3%)
• Stumptown, a pre-Prohibition Pilsner (4.5%)
• Neighborhood Sancho, a Mexican Lager (4.7%)
• The Chief, a Munich Helles (4.5%)

This wasn’t my first visit to Phantom Canyon – 11 years ago in 2004 I was here when I had another meeting at The Broadmoor. It was better than I remembered!